Yes, Daddy Long Locks, it seems a bit juvenile to be reading this as an adult. But as it turns out, many of us are making shampoo mistakes that could be causing problems like itchy scalp or even hair loss. So if you enjoy having hair and would like to keep yours, we suggest you read the rest of our men’s grooming tips.

Do you shampoo your entire head, including the tips of your hair? Are you giving it a warm rinse before hopping out of the shower? And do you give yourself a good scrub, making sure to scratch your nails into your scalp? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re doing it wrong. Here are the reasons why and a few other grooming mistakes that you could be making during your morning shower routine.

You don’t get your hair wet before adding shampoo

We know you think that you are streamlining your routine. But think about it. Do you soap your dry body and then rinse off? Sick, dude. If you start with a dry palette, then you’re working harder to get the shampoo off. Warm water loosens excess oil and helps open your pores, allowing for a deeper penetration from your shampoo. So without a wet foundation, you might not be getting all that clean. Fully dunk your head prior to shampoo so your cuticles are open and ready for a good cleaning.

You use your nails to wash your scalp.

Do you know how much bacteria is under the human nail? It’s a cesspool of disgust, a harbinger of death, and a plague on both your houses. Though we realize we’re being all sorts of dramatic, the nail scraping has to stop! Even with cleanser, you can’t kill everygerm living under under your nails.

We love a good scalp massage as much as the next guy. But be aware of how aggressively you’re going at your scalp when giving it good scrub. If you’re constantly washing with your man claws, you could be irritating and infecting your scalp with those under-the-nail germs. The scraping, yanking, and tearing could also cause hair loss. If you need a good massage to feel clean, use your fingertips and not the nails.

You apply shampoo directly to hair

And you thought wetting your hair before cleanser would be enough. Sorry, newbie. That won’t cut it. Shampoo shouldn’t sit in a blob on one area of your hair. You’re wasting more shampoo than necessary when you don’t spread it evenly through your strands. Drop a small amount on your palm first and then lather. This guarantees even coverage and less money spent on product.

You’re not rinsing well enough

You may be saving water with a quick shower, but we sincerely hope that you’re taking enough time to thoroughly rinse. If you aren’t spending a moment under the faucet, you could be leaving a lot of buildup. Over time, that residue can cause dandruff- the itchy, scaly, flaky grossness that leaves gunk under your nails when you scratch it. And men are at higher risk of developing dandruff. Damn you, hormones! Take enough time to rinse your roots and use a sulfate free shampoo to reduce the cranial crud.

You wash too often

You DO NOT need to wash your hair everyday! Your scalp is meant to have some natural oils. Stripping those will dry out your scalp. That’s why we created products that keep you from sudsing up on off days. If you’re feeling foul, only wash it a few times a week. And try to substitute for a conditioner wash when you can.

Plenty of companies will tell you to use their shampoos daily. If their formulas contain sulfates, you’re asking for buildup or even hair loss. You can train your hair just like you would a muscle. At first it may feel pretty weird skipping out on shampoo everyday. But your hair will look and feel healthier once the natural oil starts to rebuild and replenish your scalp.

Your water is too hot

If you’ve been keeping up with the blog, you’re familiar with the damage of rinsing in hot water. Your hair cuticles don’t seal properly after conditioning and you’re left with hair that is more susceptible to breakage and hair loss. Rinse your conditioner out with cold water, snapping your cuticles shut and sealing in all of that clean, fresh moisture.

You condition your scalp and not your ends

Yes, it’s important to moisturize your scalp. But that doesn’t mean neglecting the ends of your hair where a lot of breakage can happen. Start with the ends and condition your way up so your tips have more time to soak up the moisture they need.

A rule of thumb: Your shampoo and conditioner work in opposite directions. Wash only your scalp, and condition your ends.

The Right Way to Shampoo and Condition

Thoroughly wet your hair.

Lather a quarter size amount of shampoo in your palms and then work into your roots. You don’t need to shampoo the tips of your hair.

Rinse out all of the shampoo.

Apply conditioner, concentrating on the ends.

Rinse with cold water

At Hanz, we believe that less is more. Keep your routine simple and sulfate free. And when it’s time to rinse, stay cool.